Residents press for moratorium as commission details higher fees, extended review for data centers

Multiple residents urged the Shawnee County Planning Commission to put a moratorium on large data centers and battery storage projects, while county staff said the Board of County Commissioners has adopted higher filing fees and an escrow requirement and that the county has set an extended processing schedule for such applications.

Amy Gillette, a Topeka-area resident, told the commission she and neighbors live in an "Outer Topeka" area of Shawnee County and asked why city utility extensions would be considered for proposed data centers while some longtime residents lack those services. She raised concerns about pollution, noise, water use, property-value impacts and lack of compensation for neighbors, and asked the commission to advocate for a moratorium while applications are pending.

Scott Henson, a former teacher, focused on noise and water risks. He cited reported noise levels for some data centers (noting ranges residents have quoted up to the mid-90s dB) and said nearby schools could be affected. He also said he read a listing suggesting a site at Heartland Park had been marketed for a data center and urged independent studies and a moratorium.

Sharon Gillette raised cultural concerns about Burnett's Mound being within roughly a three-mile radius of a proposed data center site and asked the commission to consider environmental and cultural costs, not just potential revenue.

In response to public concern, the director of land use and development told commissioners that the Board of County Commissioners recently approved a resolution requiring higher fees for data centers, energy storage and large solar farms: a $15,000 filing fee and an additional $10,000 escrow to allow the county to hire independent third-party experts for technical review. Staff also said the county has set a separate, extended processing timeline for these high-intensity cases so they would take longer to arrive before the planning commission and would be subject to a longer review period. Staff listed the types of materials and studies likely to be required on application: emergency and decommissioning plans, bonds and financial assurances, traffic and noise studies, site and building plans, environmental and species reviews, and other technical reports.

Commissioners and staff said they could require detailed measurement protocols, independent testing and other conditions if an application is filed. Staff indicated a specific applicant hopes to file by July 24 to be scheduled for an October hearing, but cautioned that the county has not yet received a complete application. Commissioners said they would continue to gather information and could seek more studies or defer action when specific applications arrive.

The meeting closed after staff and commissioners discussed process changes and upcoming conference attendance related to these topics.